Slack adjuster



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lillhllttlllit .llilDilUllElftth illpplication filed tlctobcr l?, leal.

To alli/07mm t may concern:

he it known that l, lllinnmra l-l. derivaten, citizen ot the Unitediltates, residing at New York, in the county ot lllew York and iltate ofNew York, have invented certainnew and useful improvements in SlackAdjusters, ci which the following is a specilication.`

This invention relates toV improvements in slack adjusters and moreparticularly to slack adjusters adapted to he used in connection withthe truck brake rigging oi railroad cars, although, oi course, it is tobe Aondersteod that certain features thereof are applicable to othertypes ci brake rigging i'or use not only on railroad cars, but onlocomotives as well,

@ne oi? the objects of the present invention is to provide a simple andpractical slack adjuster mechanism, particularly adapted tor use`directly with the brake beams ot car trucks and so associated andcooperating therewith as to provide a compact, reliable and ctlicientmechanism, as well as one which may be easily and inexpensivelymanufactured and assemhled.

al. further object iste provide a slack ad juster oit' the above generaltype, having relatively :tew parts which will not he likely to get outoit order.`

@ther objects will be in part obvious and in part hereinaiter pointedout in connection with the accompanying' sheet of drawings forming partoit this disclosure, and showing' one of various terms embodying theinvention, and wherein the corresponding reiter-- ence characters denotesimilar p'arts.

.ln these drawingai Figure-1 is an elevational view, partly in section,showing" such parts or" the brake rigging and associated brake beam isnecessary to enable one skilled in the art to tally understand theinvention;

Figure 2 is a plan view oi the parts shown in Figure l., partly insection; and

Figure 8 is a detail view, partly in, section oit the adjusting rodReferring now to the drawings in detail, 5 denotes a live leverconnected at the point t hy a pull rod i' adapted to move in thedirection oi the arrow lor applying the brakes. The lower end oi thislever 5 has pivotally connected therewith at the point il a push rod l0.'llhe opposite end oi this Serial lt'o. liollt.

push rod may be connected with a dead lever in the usual manner 0r to `alined su port depending upon the type of brake rig"- ging with which theslack adjuster is associated. ln the usual four-wheel trucks, howw ever,a coactmg dead lever is positioned adjfacent the other brake beam oitthe truck, with the dead lever at the opposite end ot the truck.

There is indicated at ll the usual brake beam which is provided at itsends with the customary' brake shoe heads and shoes for cooperating;with the wheels in the well known manner. :illustration oit these parts,however, has been omitted 'for the sake of clearness. This brake beam isprovided with the customary brake beam tension member l2, which runsfrom the opposite ends ot the brake beams and forms a brace to preventbending of the brake beam on application. ,lll strut 13 is interposedbetween the brake beam ll and the brace memher or tension member l2 tohold the parts in proper relative position. This strut, however,diii'ers :trom the one now in general use .inasmuch as it is providedwith an elongated slot in which the slack adiuster push rod ld ismounted, (Figure l |lhis push rod is provided with a clevis end l5embracing the central part oi the live lever 5 through both ot whichpasses a pintle or pivot pin 'lo provided with a holdingp cotter l?.rlhe brake beam strut is provided on its sides with` slots l? permittingthe relative lore and aft movement ot the pin lo, whereby the slack istaken up. lmmediately below the push rod la is an adjusting rod l@adapted to pass through openings in end walls 20 of the housing;1 2l,provided with one or more take up dogs 22 and holding dogs 23. ln thepresent case, only one dog tor each rod is shown, but obviously a plurality of dogs may be employed if circum stances deem necessary. lThedog 22 is partially supported by the push rod lil and is tulcrumed atQd. lit is provided with a hole at its lower end through which theadjustin?,` rod l@ passes and is normally held in rented position bymeans of a compressed coilspring 25 normally urging the lower part ot'the dogg 22 toward the lett.` lliike wise the dog 23 is tulcrumed in aslot 26 in the housing; 2l and is also provided with a spring E2? urgingit to the position shown where it bites and holds the push rod 14,against movement towards the left, but permits movement in the oppositedirection.

The take up rod 18 is provided with a slotted opening or part 30,surrounding the live lever just below the pivot pin 16. it the right ofthe slot is a projection passing through a lug 35 on the beam 11. Acushion spring 36 is adapted to be compressed on application and aid intaking up the Slack and restoring trie parts to normal position. Thisspring 36 prevents creeping of the rod 18 during use or to the rattleand jar oil-'the mechanism while the ear is in motion and always insuresthe proper lost motion-and clearance between the shoes and wheels.

The upperp art of trie live lever is provided with a rod 31 having areturn spring 32 mounted thereon. The end of the rod 31 is f ixed sothat as the live lever moves to applied position, as indicated in dottedlines, this spring is compressed against tap 29 and whenk the brakes arereleased this spring aids in restoring the parts to normal position.

The operation of the present device is substantially as follows:

On application of the brakes the live lever moves toward the left intothe dotted position. It any excessive travel occurs exceeding thatprovided for by the play betweenvthe slotted member 30 and the lowerpart of the live lever, then the adjust rod 18 is moved relativelytowards the right, beingl free to slip through the dog 22. ln thismanner, the exact excess travel of the brake rigging is, one may say,temporarily recorded. W'hen the brakes are released, the parts t'end'toreturn to the normal position shown in full lines under the action ofthe several return springs. The adjusting rod, however, is preventedfrom a return movement, that is, towards the left, by reason of thetake-up dog 22, and the part of the slotted member 30 at the lel't ofthe lower part of the live lever acts as a stop 0r fulerum and completereturn movement of the live lever is effected by reason of the slot 17along which the pintle or ulcruin pin 16 is forced to travel undertheaction of the return spring 32. In this manner, the push rod 111 ismoved towards the right a distance corresponding to the distance theadjusting rod 18 was moved towards the right during the application ofthe brakes, these parts being free to move through the permanent take upand holding dog 23.

On the next application of the brakes, the push rod 14C, being held fromrelative movement' towards the left, the brake will be applied in thesame manner and will continue to operate until further wear and tearupon the brake shoes and associated parts causes lost motion to develop.When the slightest bit ot excess travel, however, is discovered, theslack adjuster will automatically take up this wear in the mannerdescribed.

lVhen it is desired to apply new brake shoes and restore the parts tothe original position, that is, with the slack ad`uster mechanism in theiosition shown in Ligure 1, both dogs 22 an 22 are moved to a positionat right angles to the rods with which they cooperate, whereupon bothrods are tree to move relatively towards the left to the new position.

`From the above, it will be seen that the present invention provides asimple and practical slack adjuster, particularly adapted for use inconnection with the truck brake rigging et railway cars and is sointimately associated with the brake beam as to permit the same to beeasily and quickly applied to truck brake rigging now in general usewithout material modification or change in the parts. The slack adjusteris reliable and eilicient in use and operation, and it is believed toaccomplish among others all of the objects and advantages hereinbeforeset forth.

l claim:

1. In a slack adjuster mechanism of the character described, incombination, a live levi', a brake beam, a strut upon which said leveris mounted, an adjusting rod and push rod associated with said brakebeam strut and live lever, and holdingr means cooperating therewithwhereby one is actuated on application of the brakes when excess traveloccurs and the other is actuated on release ot the brakes to climi--nate excess travel.

2. In a slack adjuster mechanism of the character described, incombination, a live lever, a b `like beam, a strut upon which said leveris mounted, an adjusting rod and push rod associated with said brakebeam strut and live lever, holding means cooperating therewith wherebyone is actuated on application or the brakes when excess travel occursand the other actuated on release of the brakes to eliminate excesstravel, and a return spring associatwl with said `parts for returningthe same to normal position.

3. In a slack adjuster mechanism ot the character described, incombination, a live lever, a brake beam, a strut upon which said leveris mounted, an adjusting rod and push rod associated with said brakebeam strut and live lever, and holding means cooperating therewithwhereby one is actuated en application ot the brakes when excess traveloccurs and the other is actuated on release of the brakes to eliminateexcess travel, said holding means comprising dogs normally urged intobiting raient/ae `position with the rods with which they are associated.

d, ln a slack adjuster mechanism ot the character described, incombination, a live lever, a brake beam, a tension member, a

. strut :interposed between the brake beam and eliminate lost motion,and holding means associated with said adjusting rod and push rod.

5. ln a slack adjuster mechanism ot the character described, incombination, a live lever, a brake beam, a tension member, a strutinterposed between the brake beam and the tension member, a live levertulcrumed in said strut and having a movable tulcrum point, and a pushrod carrying said 'fulcrum point, an adjusting` rod adapted to beactuated on excess travel of the live lever on application of thebrakes, whereby said push rod is actuated on release et the brakes toeliminate lost motion, holding means associated with said adjusting rodand push rod, said holding means including,` a housing and dogs in saidhousing, and springs coacting; with said dogs normally holding them incanted position permitting a tree movement ot both ot said rodsrelatively in one direction, but adapted to prevent movement in theopposite direction.

ln a slack adjuster mechanism or the `character described, incombination, a brake beam, a tension member, a strut interposedtherebetween having; a slotted aperture, a live lever pivotally mountedin said slotted aperture, a push rod associated with the live' lever andadapted to move along' the slots olf said aperture, an adjusting rodpositioned parallel to said push rod adapted to be actuated on excesstravel oir the live lever on application ot the brakes, and holdingmeans adapted to co-act with said adjusting rod tor holding the same inits newly associated position, whereby said push rod is moved acorresponding amount on release of the brakes.

7. ln a. slack adjuster mechanism or the character described, incombination, a brake beam, a tension member, a strut interposedtherebetween having; a slotted aperture, a live lever pivotally mountedin said slotted aperture, a push rod associated. with the live lever andadapted to move along the slots of said aperture, an adjusting rodpositioned parallel to said push rod adapted to be actuated ou excesstra-vel ot the live lever on application of the brakes, and holdingmeans adapted to coeact with said adj usting rod for holding the same inits newly associated position whereby said push rod is moved acorresponding amount on release of the brakes, said holding,` meansincluding a housing and dogs ulcrumed in said housing co-acting with.sa-id rods.

8. l'n a slack adjuster mechanism ot the character described, incombination, a brake beam, a tension member, a strut interposedtherebetween having; a slotted aperture, a live lever pivotally mountedin said slotted aperture, a push rod associated with the live lever andadapted to move along; the slots of said aperture, an adjustimgl rodpositioned parallel to said push rod adapted to be actuated on excesstravel oiE the live lever on application ot the brakes, and holding'means adapted to coact with said adj ustinp,` rod tor holding` the samein its newly associated po sition whereby said push rod is moved acorresponding amount on release oit the brakes, said Vholding,` meansincludingI a housing' and dogs liulcrumed in said lfioiisinpcoactingwith said rods, and a rod connected with said live lever and a spring onsaid rod operating between the live lever and a lined point adapted tobe compressed on applica tion ot 'the brakes to restore the mechanism tonormal position on release ot the brakes.

9. ln a slack adjuster mechanism oit the character d scribed, incombination, alive lever, a brake beam, a strut upon which said levermounted, an adjusting rod and push rod associated with said brake beamstrut and livelever, and holding,1 means cooperating therewith wherebyone is actuated on application ot the brakes when excess travel occursand the other is actuated on release, oli the brakes toeliminate excesstravel, and" means associated withsaid adjusting rod adapted to preventcreeping,` and accidental loss oil brake shoe clearance. 10. ln slackadjuster mechanism or the character described, in combination, a livelever, a brake beam, a strut upon which said lever is mounted, anadjusting` rod and push rod associated with said brake beam strut andlive lever, holding means cooperating therewith whereby one is actuatedon application the brakes when excess travel oc' curs and the other isactuated on release of the brakes to eliminate excess travel, and meansassociated with said adjusting' rod adapted to prevent creepiifip,` andaccidental loss ot brake shoe clearance, said means includinga cushionspring acting on said adjusting rod and reacting` on the brake beam.

ln testimony whereol l affix my signature.

l/lllliliilr-ild idllilltllti SUUVAGE.

